'Suave' airport thieves nabbed

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel arrested three men who have been stealing cash and valuables from the handbags of passengers in the check-in areas as well as inside aircraft for the past five years. The accused, who put up a suave countenance, would operate in a discreet manner in airports across the country and steal cash and valuables from unsuspecting passengers. They had been arrested only once in the past.  

On Monday morning, the three accused were caught in a secret operation by the CISF while they were on their way to board an Indigo flight to Ahmedabad. “The accused had stolen Rs1 lakh from a Chandigarh-bound passenger last week while he was at the check-in counters,” said MK Singh, senior commandant, CISF.

CCTV footages revealed that the accused would first zero on a target at the check-in counter. When the passenger remains busy with the formalities, they would surround his baggage, keeping their own bags around them to block the view. One among them would then steal the cash or valuables from the passenger’s bag and disappear. 

The accused revealed that they also used to steal from inside the flight. The CISF had been trying trace the accused for past over six months.

@ abidi_shahkar